Walking Dead and Elephantmen flip for each other

The latest issue of Robert Kirkman’s immensely popular original series THE WALKING DEAD will be presented as a flip book, offering readers a preview of the Eagle Award winning ELEPHANTMEN, industry legend Richard Starkings’ acclaimed science fiction series.

On the flip side of THE WALKING DEAD #86, the 23-page introduction into the world of ELEPHANTMEN has been taken from ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN #1, an issue that proved a great jumping on point for readers who had yet to pick up the series. Axel Medellin provides the ongoing title with sexy and colorful painted art, and while his style sharply contrasts Charlie Adlard’s stark, realistic black and white pages for THE WALKING DEAD, Kirkman and Starkings know that the two series share many of the same readers.

“Even though THE WALKING DEAD and ELEPHANTMEN seem to be very different, I know from talking to fans at shows that we have a big crossover readership,” explained Starkings. “Both books are character-driven science fantasy stories featuring leads who keep their feet firmly on the ground. It makes perfect sense to offer THE WALKING DEAD readers a sample issue of ELEPHANTMEN on the house. As for me (no kidding), THE WALKING DEAD is the one book I never miss reading month after month!”

“I’m a big fan of Richard’s storytelling,” Robert Kirkman added. “This is quality science fiction, and it’s one of those titles that everyone should be reading because it just keeps getting better and better.”

Three volumes of ELEPHANTMEN have already been published in handsome hardcover and trade paperback editions. The fourth and most recent volume, ELEPHANTMEN: QUESTIONABLE THINGS is available in hardcover now, with a trade paperback edition going on sale in July.

THE WALKING DEAD #86 (APR110529), a 48-page black and white horror comic for $2.99, will be available at a comic store near you on June 29, 2011, while ELEPHANTMEN: QUESTIONABLE THINGS TP (JUL110463) will be available for sale on July 20th for $24.99. ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN #1 VAR CVR 2ND PTG (FEB118098) is still available for reorder.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.